Another week another revamped store launch as Amazon Fresh Aldgate gets new payment options and updated look

Amazon is continuing an overhaul of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, with the reopening of its Aldgate, London location on Monday.

These stores originally launched as checkout-free offerings, powered by the US online retail giant’s Just Walk Out technology.

But the focus is now on adding more payment options, such as self-service checkouts.

In a LinkedIn post, Thomas Monaghan, EU Head of Construction & Design at Amazon, said: “Another week and another revamped store launch.”

“Aldgate reopened its doors this morning with an improved flow, new payment options and an updated look and feel. An exciting and challenging period for the team, I'm looking forward to seeing the customer reaction. Thanks again to all involved, great work as always.”

“THIS IS HOW ITERATIVE INNOVATION EVOLVES”

In April, we reported that Amazon was removing Just Walk Out technology from its Amazon Fresh stores.

This will be replaced by smart carts that allow customers to skip the checkout line but also see their spending in real-time.

Just Walk Out will continue to be offered in Amazon Go stores and some smaller Amazon Fresh stores in the UK. Amazon will also continue to offer the tech to third-party retailers.

“We’ve invested a lot of time redesigning a number of our Amazon Fresh stores over the last year, offering a better overall shopping experience with more value, convenience, and selection, and so far we’ve seen positive results, with higher customer shopping satisfaction scores and increased purchasing," said spokesperson Jessica Martin.

“We’ve also heard from customers that while they enjoyed the benefit of skipping the checkout line with Just Walk Out, they also wanted the ability to easily find nearby products and deals, view their receipt as they shop, and know how much money they saved while shopping throughout the store.”

To label the initiative a failure was naive at best and at worst a complete misunderstanding of tech creativity, argued Brand L. Elverston, Founder/Principal at Elverston Consulting.

He commented: “For the pessimists, this is a colossal "I told you so." For others, it is easily understood this is how iterative innovation evolves.”

“The idea, the whiteboard, the alpha, the beta, the limited test, adjustments, reworks, and refits - and learnings all the while. Collateral, unintended innovation often occurs when pursuing some completely different goal.”

He added: “Pursuits such as these are exactly what sparks imagination and creativity. Not all are going to become resounding, earth shattering, take the world by storm events. In fact, few do.”

“When Amazon unveiled the first Amazon Go store in 2016/17, it immediately caught the eyes of countless tech firms and retailers - how many others followed with their own solutions?”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Physical stores are a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, Retail Technology Show 2025, and Business France, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.